Chapter category: Cell Metabolism
Heterogeneity of Adipose Tissue Metabolism
Adipose Tissue
Edited by: Susanne KlausISBN: 1-58706-040-X
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Chapter authors:
Michael Boschmann
Adipose tissue is a highly specialized organ dealing mainly with processes for storage and release of energy. The underlying metabolic routes of these processes are regulated by a complex network to meet the energy requirements of the body. In times of a positive energy balance, i.e., energy (food) intake exceeding energy requirements, excess energy is stored as fat. In times of a negative energy balance, i.e., energy requirements exceeding energy intake, including the extreme situation of long-term fasting, fat resources are mobilized. Both processes operate in a highly efficient manner to prevent wasting of energy and to ensure survival of the organism. Adipose tissue has a highly adaptive capability for storing large amounts of fat. This can be achieved by increasing fat cell size or fat cell number (see also chapter 10 of this volume). Normally, a human subject has about 10 to 20 kg of body fat. Taking into account a caloric value of about 7,000 kcal per kg fat tissue, an energy reserve of 70,000 to 140,000 kcal (that is 300-600 MJ) is stored in adipose tissue. The caloric value for adipose tissue is lower than that for pure fat, i.e., triglycerides (about 9,000 kcal per kg) because the fatstoring adipocytes are normally not completely catabolized for generation of energy. Body fat mass can increase tremendously (between 40 to 100 kg or more) and this accumulation of excess body fat is called obesity. Obesity is by no means an appearance of the late 20th and the early 21st century. One of the first reports of obesity is the "Venus of Willendorf", a small statuette showing clear signs of abdominal obesity.1 Obesity has been found in almost all old medical traditions including Egyptian, Chinese, Indian, MesoAmerican, GrecoRoman and Arabic medicine and there have been already single reports about treating obesity as a disease.1 However, in all these traditions occurrence of obesity was limited to the "higher classes".1
Additional chapters from this book:
Adipose Tissue Pathology in Human Obesity
Hans Hauner, Thomas Skurk
Human obesity is characterized by an excess of adipose tissue mass that has potential adverse health consequences and may finally result in a reduced quality of life and life expectancy.
White Adipose Tissue as a Secretory and Endocrine Organ:Leptin and Other Secreted Proteins
Paul Trayhurn, Nigel Hoggard, D. Vernon Rayner
We are currently undergoing a revolution in our perspectives on the physiological role of white adipose tissue (WAT). Traditionally, white fat has been viewed primarily as a longterm energy...
Heterogeneity of Adipose Tissue Metabolism
Michael Boschmann
Adipose tissue is a highly specialized organ dealing mainly with processes for storage and release of energy. The underlying metabolic routes of these processes are regulated by a complex netw...
Central Nervous System Innervation of White Adipose Tissue
Timothy J. Bartness, Gregory E. Demas, C. Kay Song
The incessant demand for energy by tissues, especially the central nervous system (CNS), is a challenge that must be met for normal physiological functioning and behavior to occur. This is an ...
Central Nervous System Innervation of Brown Adipose Tissue
Timothy J. Bartness, C. Kay Song, Gregory E. Demas
Environmental factors such as ambient temperature and food availability can affect the survival and reproductive success of animals. This is especially important for small rodents with their i...
Brown Adipocyte Differentiation and Function in Energy Metabolism
Susanne Klaus
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a specialized thermogenic adipose tissue with greatimportance for thermoregulation and cold defense of small mammals. As outlined in the previous chapter, the ...
Brown Adipose Tissue: Thermogenic Function and Its Physiological
Susanne Klaus
Brown adipose tissue (BAT) is a specialized form of adipose tissue whose function is opposite to classical white fat function. As a thermogenic tissue it is a site of energy dis...
Development of White Adipose Tissue and Adipocyte Differentiation
Gérard Ailhaud
In humans, the development of white adipose tissue (WAT) occurs to a large extent postnatally and continues throughout life, in contrast to the development of brown adipose tissue (BAT) which ...
Morphology of the Adipose Organ
Saverio Cinti
The white adipose tissue is composed of spherical cells with a diameter ranging from 15 to 150 µm (Fig. 2) in aldehyde-fixed and paraffin or resin embedded specimens.
This enormous...
Overview: Biological Significance of Fat and Adipose Tissues
Susanne Klaus
From a human point of view fat or adipose tissue is nowadays often considered assuperfluous and undesired, especially considering the current "emaciated" beauty ideal of the Western world. Thi...
Development of White Adipose Tissue and Adipocyte Differentiation
Gérard Ailhaud
In humans, the development of white adipose tissue (WAT) occurs to a large extent postnatally and continues throughout life, in contrast to the development of brown adipose tissue (BAT) which ...
Morphology of the Adipose Organ
Saverio Cinti
The adipose organ (Fig. 1) of mammals is composed of two different tissues: white and brown adipose tissues.13 In mammals these tissues are organized in disti...
Overview: Biological Significance of Fat and Adipose Tissues
Susanne Klaus
From a human point of view fat or adipose tissue is nowadays often considered assuperfluous and undesired, especially considering the current "emaciated" beauty ideal of the Western world. Thi...
